11 Reasons Just Making Out Is Sometimes Better Than Making Love

It’s not all about penetration, ladies – sometimes we like a little (or a lot of) kissing, a little foreplay, or some intimacy without the full-blown l0ve-making. Don’t get me wrong – intimacy is great and fulfilling in its own way, but sometimes getting back to basics and just making out is the best thing you can do with a guy.

It’s mess-free. Save for a little lipstick smudge here and there, making out is pretty mess free. We’re busy people – sometimes we don’t have time to get sweaty when we’re trying to make it to work on time.

It can prevent cavities. Swapping spit isn’t actually as gross as it sounds. The Academy of General Dentistry says that all that extra saliva moving around in a make-out session can build up tooth enamel and rinse bacteria away. Weird, but great.

It’s safe. OK, it’s not totally safe (mono is a real bummer), but as far as swapping bodily fluids goes, making out is definitely the safest option. No baby scares today!

It burns a few calories. Making out isn’t going to replace any workouts, but it can help stimulate your appetite for taco Tuesday. Each minute of serious kissing can burn up to 5 calories, which means an hour of making out should burn enough calories for that margarita. Those are also the ingredients for an awesome date.

It makes you feel young again. Making out is fun in that “sneaked out the parents’ house on a summer night” type of way. Embrace the part of it that used to be new and exciting to keep those butterflies churning and a spring in your step.

It’s acceptable to do with (almost) anyone. No one has ever been stigmatized just for kissing. Perhaps a few people out there have been dubbed “make out bandits”, but that’s pretty fair as far as nicknames go. Making out is pretty acceptable for first dates and random bar encounters alike.

It strengthens your immune system. You’d think that kissing would spread colds, but actually making out might be able to reduce your chances of getting a cold altogether. In ten seconds of making out, you pass back and forth 80 million bacteria – but getting introduced to it in small amounts helps you build up an immunity in case you’re exposed to it again later. Kissing also reduces your chances of getting allergic reactions. Best medicine there is?

It’s mobile. Making out is the perfect naughty activity for locations where other stuff won’t fly. Make out in the movie theater, make out in the car on the way into brunch with your parents, make out on your lunch break. All the necessary tools are right there with you.

It relieves stress. One study done at Arizona State University asked its participants to make kissing a high priority over a set period of time and tested their stress levels in comparison to a control group. (Where do we sign up for stuff like this?) After the six-week period, it became clear that the kissing couples were not only closer emotionally, but were less stressed out overall. Some go so far as to say that making out can be comparable to meditating in the relieving anxiety department and getting you focused on the present. Namaste.

It’s great for bonding. Making out with someone you like releases oxytocin, which makes us feel good and connected to the person we’re kissing. Next time you and your man du jour hit a dull point in the conversation, making out is always a reasonable alternative. We can’t be master conversationalists all the time.

It’s hot. We kiss for a reason…it’s intimate and it turns us on. Nothing will leave you both wanting more like steaming things up with a hearty make out session. Face it, there’s nothing else that leaves your head spinning quite like a really great kiss.

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Kate Ferguson
Kate Ferguson is a Los Angeles local and freelance writer for a variety of blog and magazine genres. When she's not writing, the UC Davis graduate is focused on pursuits of the entertainment industry, spin class, and hot sauce. Look for article links, updates, (and the occasional joke) on Twitter @KateFerg or @WriterKateFerg, or check out her personal blog ThatsRandomKate.blogspot.com